1. Field of the Invention:
This invention generally relates to a panel with a unit for swinging and sliding the same. Such a panel may, for example, be in the form of a door or a wall partition.
More particularly, the present invention relates to a fixing and locking unit like those used preferably for mobile door and wall elements. The system thereby consists of stationary ceiling-mounted rails with corresponding rail junctions, which make it possible to slide parts or all of the unit located under them or to park them in a side position. This occurs when, for example, a room is to be partitioned off, or one large room is to be divided into several smaller rooms. An additional area of application, one which is increasing in importance, is door-wall elements in restaurants and retail stores. Here, depending on the weather conditions, the entire front window can be removed, or only parts of the entire front window system can be moved.
2. Background Information:
Systems of the type described above are disclosed in German Pat. No. 35 22 824 (which corresponds to U.S. Pat. No. 4,752,987) and German Patent No. 31 48 464. But to be able to modify these systems quickly and without major effort, the door and wall elements are equipped with what are called catches, located on the upper end of an element, which can be released or fixed by removing or inserting a lock. However, this system can be troublesome in systems more than 2 meters high measured from the floor, because not everyone can reach this lock without using ladders or similar devices. Moreover, located next to the lock is a hook lock, which must usually be engaged with a locking piston. This lock tends to have a very complex design, and tends to require complex, expensive and time-consuming milling operations to insert it into the door rail.
Nor is this lock usually altogether easy to handle, since as a rule this lock also tends to be located on the upper end of the door panel.
It can therefore be said that the systems currently on the market are generally not very user-friendly, and can also represent a high potential for accidents, since auxiliary equipment, such as ladders, must usually be used to operate them. These catches and locks are also usually very expensive to manufacture.